The Decameron, Volume II eBook

NOVEL I.

—­ Gianni Lotteringhi hears a knocking
at his door at night: he awakens his wife, who
persuades him that ’tis the bogey, which they
fall to exorcising with a prayer; whereupon the knocking
ceases. —­

My lord, glad indeed had I been, that, saving your
good pleasure, some other than I had had precedence
of discourse upon so goodly a theme as this of which
we are to speak—­I doubt I am but chosen
to teach others confidence; but, such being your will,
I will gladly obey it. And my endeavour shall
be, dearest ladies, to tell you somewhat that may be
serviceable to you in the future: for, if you
are, as I am, timorous, and that most especially of
the bogey, which, God wot, I know not what manner
of thing it may be, nor yet have found any that knew,
albeit we are all alike afraid of it, you may learn
from this my story how to put it to flight, should
it intrude upon you, with a holy, salutary and most
efficacious orison.

There dwelt of yore at Florence, in the quarter of
San Pancrazio, a master-spinner, Gianni Lotteringhi
by name, one that had prospered in his business, but
had little understanding of aught else; insomuch that
being somewhat of a simpleton, he had many a time
been chosen leader of the band of laud-singers of
Santa Maria Novella, and had charge of their school;
and not a few like offices had he often served, upon
which he greatly plumed himself. Howbeit, ’twas
all for no other reason than that, being a man of
substance, he gave liberal doles to the friars; who,
for that they got thereof, this one hose, another
a cloak, and a third a hood, would teach him good
orisons, or give him the paternoster in the vernacular,
or the chant of St. Alexis, or the lament of St. Bernard,
or the laud of Lady Matilda, or the like sorry stuff,
which he greatly prized, and guarded with jealous
care, deeming them all most conducive to the salvation
of his soul.

Now our simple master-spinner had a most beautiful
wife, and amorous withal, her name Monna Tessa.
Daughter she was of Mannuccio dalla Cuculla, and not
a little knowing and keen-witted; and being enamoured
of Federigo di Neri Pegolotti, a handsome and lusty
gallant, as he also of her, she, knowing her husband’s
simplicity, took counsel with her maid, and arranged
that Federigo should come to chat with her at a right
goodly pleasure-house that the said Gianni had at
Camerata, where she was wont to pass the summer, Gianni
coming now and again to sup and sleep, and going back
in the morning to his shop, or, maybe, to his laud-singers.
Federigo, who desired nothing better, went up there
punctually on the appointed day about vespers, and
as the evening passed without Gianni making his appearance,
did most comfortably, and to his no small satisfaction,
sup and sleep with the lady, who lying in his arms
taught him that night some six of her husband’s
lauds. But, as neither she nor Federigo was minded